Apple's 64-bit chip caused panic in the industry, claims insider

Now it can be told: The 64-bit A7 chip in Apple's latest iPhone caused a panic of sorts in the industry, a tech blogger disclosed this week.

 

Dan Lyons quoted a Qualcomm employee as saying the A7 microprocessor, whose 64-bit nature lets it process bigger chunks of data, sent its competitors into panic.

 

"The 64-bit Apple chip hit us in the gut. Not just us, but everyone, really. We were slack-jawed, and stunned, and unprepared. It’s not that big a performance difference right now, since most current software won’t benefit. But in Spinal Tap terms it’s like, 32 more, and now everyone wants it," Lyons quoted the Qualcomm employee as saying.

 

Lyons' profile on HubSpot described him as a marketing fellow at HubSpot, and a former tech editor at Newsweek and tech columnist at Forbes (http://blog.hubspot.com/uattr/author/dan-lyons).

 

Qualcomm makes microprocessors for many phones that run Google's Android operating system.

 

Also, Lyons noted Qualcomm CMO Anand Chandrasekher had called the A7 chip “a marketing gimmick," but Qualcomm said his statement was “inaccurate” and reassigned him.

 

He added Qualcomm and other chipmakers now are racing to finish their own 64-bit chips.

 

This month, Qualcomm presented a 64-bit version of its Snapdragon processor and is planning to get the chip into smartphones by the second half of 2014.

 

Substantial jump

 

Lyons said Apple may have caught its competitors flatfooted since most in the mobile industry think 64-bit was not a big deal right now.

 

“The roadmap for 64-bit was nowhere close to Apple’s, since no one thought it was that essential. The evolution was going to be steady. Sure, it’s neat, it’s the future, but it’s not really essential for conditions now,” the Qualcomm insider said.

 

But with Apple debuting a 64-bit processor, the insider was quoted as saying the iPhone maker "kicked everybody in the balls with this."

 

"It’s being downplayed, but it set off panic in the industry,” the insider added.

 

"Apple’s rivals find themselves in the unlucky position of having to shift to 64-bit chips sooner than they’d originally planned. Changing a processor roadmap is not as simple as just flicking a switch," Lyons said.

 

Meanwhile, Lyons noted Samsung is also working on 64-bit processors and may introduce a mobile device with a 64-bit chip in early 2014.  — ELR, GMA News